Training Log Archive: SarahD

Glenshee 9. Really wasn't sure whether this was going to happen on Fri morning, but didn't feel too bad yesterday so decided to go for it. Felt heavy legged up the first climb, but once I got going it didn't seem so bad. The first 6 tops east of the road make for easy running and conditions were good - still pretty dry underfoot and not too hot. Descent off Cairn an Tuirc is steep and I started to feel a bit awkward as well as cramp threatening. Crossed the road in 3h which gave me hope that a sub 5h time should be possible. Climb up Cairn Aosda is tough but got head down and ground it out. Then my legs went to jelly which made the supposedly easier running on the next section somewhat harder. Stopped to get some water at a wee lochan (wasn't sure there was going to be anything better) and cramped up as I lay down to fill the bottle, but managed to stretch it off ok. After Carn a Gheoidh it was heading for home and managed to dig in quite well.
Overall really happy with how it went, especially starting the race with a heavy week in my legs. Finished something like 7th F but sadly only 3rd V50 I think. Time for some R+R now.

Early run up Kjerring klumpen with J before travelling. Both feeling pretty stuffed and a tough wee run. Bacon sandwich earned.

Tömmerfjell, Otterøya. Great wee peak out on the end of the island peninsula. Decent effort to the top in ~39’.

In Langvatnet half way back down off the hill top. Fab :-)

Gjeltheia with J. Steady slog up a dirt track to a mast. Maybe not the most aesthetically pleasing but a good workout. Some cracking bonsai pine forest, mountain hare and our 4th elk spotted on the way there. A bit drizzly but fine for running.

Heilhornet with J and E. Attempted to run or at least power walk this. Mighty steep in places, not least the first section up from the road. Got into cloud half way up which was a shame, but it was a cracking climb up through rock slabs and boulder fields with a narrowish ridge in the summit. Sun almost breaking through but it didn’t make it until we were back down the bottom :-( Good workout

Plan was to bag the high point above Tosbotn. Had some vague Norwegian directions from ut.no and a very crude map. Got a few more directions from a local guy at the track end (right, left, right...) and headed off. Nice new (hydro) and old track took us well up into the forest but then we had to get onto the spur somehow past a wall of crags. Eventually went for a bit of an open gap and had an interesting 30’ scrambling through scrub, crags and near vertical slopes before reaching the plateau. It all looked good from here though and we could see s nice peak beyond lots of rock slab slopes. Lovely climb up through it all and eventually reached the main ridge. At this point the view opened out - to reveal another bigger peak at the head of the next valley.... oops. So we bagged peak 1010m (no idea what it was called) before turning back. Saw an elk running across the horizon and stopped for a quick skinny dip in a wee Lochan. Then picked a ‘fruit salad’ of cloudberry, blaeberries, strawberries and raspberries in the way back. Magic mountains and fjords and a great day out. Who cares which top we reached!

Skinny dip on the way back down the mountain

Round Bjurälven nature reserve with J and E. 3km into the start of the karst valley then a 7km loop with lots of ups and downs via ladders etc. Ran part way back with E.